Manhole cover device and method

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway associated with a manhole cover. The apparatus includes a manhole anchor, a road pad, and an attachment mean. The apparatus is useful for filling a discontinuity in a roadway associated with a manhole cover and for preventing traffic from swerving to avoid the discontinuity.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/479,182 filed Mar. 30, 2017, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of movable or removable closures and more specifically relates to manhole covers.

2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Openings are formed in roadways to provide access to things disposed beneath the roadways, including, for example, water and sewage lines. One commonly known opening is a manhole, which is typically defined by a frame set in the roadway, and sealed by a manhole cover resting on top of the frame. One problem associated with manhole covers is that they do not always remain flush with the surrounding road surface. Further, in the repair and resurfacing of streets and highways, it is frequently found that the repaired or resurfaced roadway is substantially higher than the original roadway. Accordingly, the top surface of the utility covers in the roadway, such as manhole covers, water and gas valve covers, gas and water meter covers and the like, are disposed substantially below the new road surface. This lower position of the utility cover creates a hazardous driving condition.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,769,834 to Henry E. Stange relates to a method and apparatus for covering openings in roadways. The described method and apparatus for covering openings in roadways includes mat disposed on top of an access cover to compensate for a vertical offset between the top of the cover and the top of the roadway surrounding the cover. fasteners are inserted through aligned holes in the mat and the cover and anchored in place in such a manner that the heads of the fasteners do not protrude above the top of the cover.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known art of manhole covers, the present disclosure provides a novel manhole cover device and method. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a device for filling a discontinuity in a roadway associated with a manhole cover.

An apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway is disclosed herein. The apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway may include a manhole anchor configured to secure to the top surface of the manhole cover, a road pad configured to fill the discontinuity in the roadway associated with a manhole cover, the road pad made of a pad material, the pad material being weather-resistant and sufficiently durable to withstand repeated vehicle traffic of the roadway; and an attachment means affixed to road pad, the attachment means configured to removably secure road pad to of the manhole anchor.

A method for filling a discontinuity in a roadway is also disclosed herein. The method for filling the discontinuity in the roadway includes the steps of: providing an apparatus including a manhole anchor and a road pad, the manhole anchor configured to secure to the top surface of the manhole cover, the road pad configured to fill the discontinuity in the roadway associated with the manhole cover, and further configured to removably attach to the manhole anchor; adhesively securing the manhole anchor to the top surface of the manhole cover; and removably attaching the road pad to the manhole anchor.

For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a manhole cover device and method, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway of FIG. 1, showing an attachment means according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway of FIG. 1, showing the attachment means according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a side view of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a partial cut away view of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway, according to other embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for filling a discontinuity in a roadway, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a manholes and more particularly to a manhole cover device and method as used to improve the devices for filling a discontinuity in a roadway associated with a manhole cover.

Generally, disclosed is a cover for a manhole. The cover may be composed of a recycled rubber tire and combined with an adhesive. The cover may be designed to fit on top of a conventional manhole cover that may include hook and loop fasteners at its top. The cover may include hook and loop fasteners on its bottom and be configured to couple to the conventional manhole cover top. The present disclosure may provide roads and streets with a rubber cover for utility holes, allowing the road to maintain a safe, smooth, and even surface after repaving. This eliminates holes in streets and roads where utility covers were unable to be paved over. It prevents drivers from swerving their vehicle to avoid holes, effectively reducing the amount of accidents on the road. It utilizes recycled rubber tires and other materials for construction, offering an environmentally-friendly tool for covering utility holes. The present invention includes adhesive and hook and loop fasteners in order to keep the cover secured at all times.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in FIGS. 1-5, various views of an apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway (“apparatus” 100). FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus 100 during an ‘in-use’ condition 50, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the apparatus 100 may include a manhole anchor 110 (FIG. 2A), a road pad 120 and an attachment means 130 (FIG. 2A) and may be configured to fill a discontinuity 20 (FIG. 2A) in a roadway 5 associated with a manhole cover 10 (FIG. 2A).

According to one embodiment, the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway 100 may be arranged as a kit 105. The kit 105 may include a set of instructions 107. The instructions 107 may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway 100 (such that the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway 100 can be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner).

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, showing its attachment means, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the apparatus 100 may include the manhole anchor 110, the road pad 120 and the attachment means 130. As illustrated here, the attachment means 130 is configured to secure the road pad 120 to the manhole anchor 110. The manhole anchor 110 may be configured to secure to a top surface 15 of a manhole cover 10. Further, the road pad 120 may be configured to fill the discontinuity 20 in the roadway 5 associated with the manhole cover 10. The road pad 120 may be made of a pad material which may be weather-resistant and sufficiently durable to withstand vehicles 25 (FIG. 1) repeatedly passing over the roadway 5.

In addition, the attachment means 130 may be affixed to the road pad 120, and configured to removably secure road pad 120 the manhole anchor 110. According to one embodiment, the attachment means 130 may be affixed to the road pad 120 by an adhesive. Similarly, the manhole anchor 110 may be secured to the top surface of the manhole cover 10 by an adhesive. In some examples, the adhesive may be a cyanoacrylate, a cement, a paste, or the like.

According to the illustrated embodiment, the attachment means 130 may be distributed around a periphery of the road pad 120. Further, the manhole anchor 110 and the attachment means 130 together may include a hook and loop fastener. In a preferred embodiment, the hook and loop fastener may be distributed around a periphery of the road pad 120. In other embodiments, the hook and loop fastener may include two separate patches of hook and loop fastener material. As above, each half of the hook and loop fastener may be attached via an adhesive to the road pad 120 and the manhole cover 10, respectively

FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, showing the attachment means, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated here, the attachment means 130 may be embodied as a plurality of separate patches attached to the road pad 120. As above, in one embodiment, the hook and loop fastener may include two separate patches of hook and loop fastener material attached to both the road pad 120 and the manhole cover 10, respectively.

FIG. 3A is a side view of the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a side view of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown here, the road pad 120 may fill the discontinuity 20 in the roadway 5. In the preferred embodiment, the road pad 120 may be rounded in shape (see e.g., FIG. 1). Further, the road pad 120 may be round in shape and have a diameter of at least 24 inches. In the preferred embodiment, the road pad 120 may have a diameter equal to a diameter of the manhole cover 10. In other embodiments, the road pad 120 may be rectangular in shape or square in shape. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the road pad 120 may be made of rubber. The rubber in this embodiment may be manufactured from recycled tires. In the other embodiments, the road pad 120 may be made from a metal, or a fiber-reinforced plastic

FIG. 3B is a partial cut away view of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, here the road pad 120 is illustrated in a cut-away view to show the recycled tire material 122, and also (as above) the thickness 125 of the road pad 120. As above, in the preferred embodiment the road pad 120 may be made of rubber. The rubber in this embodiment may be manufactured from recycled tires 122. Further, the road pad 120 may be configured to withstand a weight of at least 20,000 lbs. In the preferred embodiment, the road pad 120 may be configured to withstand the repeated vehicle traffic with vehicles 25 having the weight of at least 20,000 lbs.

As illustrated, the road pad 120 may have a thickness 125 (as commonly understood to be measured away from the top surface 15 of the manhole cover 10) that is sized and dimensioned to lay flush with the roadway 5 when secured to the manhole cover 10. In one embodiment, the road pad 120 may have a thickness 125, as measured away from the top surface 15 of the manhole cover 10, of between 0.2 inches and 2 inches. In the preferred embodiment, the road pad 120 may have a thickness 125 that has been customized during manufacture to fill a particular discontinuity 20 in the roadway 5 associated with the manhole cover 10.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the apparatus 100 of FIG. 1. Variations of the road pad 120 are shown here having a square shape and a rectangular shape, according to some embodiments. While in the preferred embodiment, the road pad 120 may be rounded in shape, in other embodiments, the road pad 120 may be rectangular in shape or square in shape. Further, the apparatus 100 may not be limited to covering manhole covers 10, in some embodiments the apparatus 100 may be configured to cover a drain in the roadway 5.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram 550 illustrating a method for filling a discontinuity in a roadway 500, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the method for filling a discontinuity in a roadway 500 may include the steps of: step one 501, providing an apparatus including a manhole anchor 110 and a road pad 120 (the manhole anchor 110 configured to secure to the top surface 15 of the manhole cover 10, the road pad 120 configured to fill the discontinuity 20 in the roadway 5 associated with the manhole cover 10, and further configured to removably attach to the manhole anchor 110); step two 502, adhesively securing the manhole anchor 110 to the top surface 15 of the manhole cover 10; and step three 503, removably attaching the road pad 120 to the manhole anchor 110.

It should be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for using the apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway 100 (e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), are taught herein.

The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. 

What is claimed is new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims:
 1. An apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway, the discontinuity associated with a manhole cover, the manhole cover having a top surface, the apparatus comprising: a manhole anchor configured to secure to the top surface of the manhole cover; a road pad configured to fill the discontinuity in the roadway associated with a manhole cover, the road pad made of a pad material, the pad material being weather-resistant and sufficiently durable to withstand repeated vehicle traffic of the roadway; and an attachment means affixed to road pad, the attachment means configured to removably secure road pad to of the manhole anchor.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manhole anchor and the attachment means together include a hook and loop fastener.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hook and loop fastener includes two separate patches of hook and loop fastener material.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the hook and loop fastener is distributed around a periphery of the road pad.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein attachment means is affixed to the road pad by an adhesive.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the manhole anchor is secured to the top surface of the manhole cover by an adhesive.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is rounded in shape.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is rectangular in shape.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is square in shape.
 10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is made of rubber.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rubber includes material from recycled tires.
 12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is made of metal.
 13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is made of fiber-reinforced plastic.
 14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad has a thickness, as measured away from the top surface of the manhole cover, that is sized and dimensioned to lay flush with the roadway when secured to the manhole cover.
 15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is configured to withstand a weight of at least 20,000 lbs.
 16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad has a thickness has a thickness, as measured away from the top surface of the manhole cover, between 0.2 inches and 2 inches.
 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the road pad is round and has a diameter of at least 24 inches.
 18. An apparatus for filling a discontinuity in a roadway, the discontinuity associated with a manhole cover, the manhole cover having a top surface, the apparatus comprising: a manhole anchor configured to secure to the top surface of the manhole cover; a road pad configured to fill the discontinuity in the roadway associated with a manhole cover, the road pad made of a pad material, the pad material being weather-resistant and sufficiently durable to withstand repeated vehicle traffic of the roadway; and an attachment means affixed to road pad, the attachment means configured to removably secure road pad to of the manhole anchor; and wherein the manhole anchor and the attachment means together include a hook and loop fastener; wherein the hook and loop fastener is distributed around a periphery of the road pad; wherein attachment means is affixed to the road pad by an adhesive; wherein the manhole anchor is secured to the top surface of the manhole cover by an adhesive; wherein the road pad is rounded in shape; wherein the road pad is made of rubber; wherein the rubber includes material from recycled tires; wherein the road pad has a thickness, as measured away from the top surface of the manhole cover, that is sized and dimensioned to lay flush with the roadway when secured to the manhole cover; wherein the road pad is configured to withstand a weight of at least 20,000 lbs.; wherein the road pad has a thickness has a thickness, as measured away from the top surface of the manhole cover, between 0.2 inches and 2 inches; and wherein the road pad is round and has a diameter of at least 24 inches.
 19. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising set of instructions; and wherein the apparatus is arranged as a kit.
 20. A method for filling a discontinuity in a roadway, the discontinuity associated with a manhole cover, the manhole cover having a top surface, the manhole cover being installed on a manhole in the roadway, the method comprising the steps of: providing an apparatus including a manhole anchor and a road pad, the manhole anchor configured to secure to the top surface of the manhole cover, the road pad configured to fill the discontinuity in the roadway associated with the manhole cover, and further configured to removably attach to the manhole anchor; adhesively securing the manhole anchor to the top surface of the manhole cover; and removably attaching the road pad to the manhole anchor. 